Total, a major player in renewable energies

Our ambition? To become the leader in responsible energy. Our mission? To supply clean, reliable and affordable energy to the largest number of people. In the next 20 years, the demand for electricity is going to increase faster than the global demand in energy. To meet this demand while reducing the use of coal and adopting the 2°C scenario of the IEA, several solutions have been implemented, notably the development of low-carbon operations1: the Group wishes to develop them so that they account for up to 20% of its portfolio by 2035.

Renewable energies represent a significant part of these low-carbon operations, and Total is already a major player in this sector, particularly in solar power. Our goal is to have an electrical production capacity of 5 GW from renewable sources within five years.

Total and SunPower have built the Prieska photovoltaic solar power plant in South Africa. It supplies the equivalent of 75,000 South African homes with electricity (86 MW)

PV Salvador, ChileOne of the world's largest commercial solar power plants (70 MW). Built and operated by SunPower, its panels are among the most reliable and efficient in the world, with a record conversion rate of up to 25%.

The photovoltaic plant commissioned by ISE, Total and SunPower in Nanao, Japan. With a 27 MW capacity, it supplies close to 9,000 Japanese homes.

Issy-les-Moulineaux (France)Total has installed solar panels on the roofs of several buildings as part of the “1st smart neighborhood network in France” initiative.

Haute Garonne (France) SunPower’s solar panels are found on many residential rooftops.

Denver, ColoradoThe roof of the Colorado Convention Center. SunPower is the commercial segment leader in the United States.

A Total service station in Ouagadougou (Burkina-Faso).Abdoulay is demonstrating a solar kit. The pump attendant is stressing its ease of use and its guaranteed durability.

Night has fallen on the village of Endayaza in Myanmar.A villager works in her vegetable garden, by the light of a solar lamp sold by Total.

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Integrated into the solar power chain

Solar power is the fastest-growing energy within the primary energy mix. It is an unlimited, clean, renewable and universally-distributed energy source. This energy also has the advantage of deploying rapidly and adapting to decentralized and modular systems, thus providing electricity access to the largest number of people.

As a major player in this market, Total is present throughout the solar power chain via its subsidiaries2, from the design and manufacture of photovoltaic cells, panels and systems and electrical storage systems, to the development and operation of large solar power plants and decentralized on-site photovoltaic systems for residential, industrial and business customers.

Recognized expertise

From Europe and America to Asia and Africa, our solar power expertise enables us to provide energy throughout the entire world. For example:

In South Africa, Total built a 75-MWc solar farm in Prieska, which it has operated since 2016. It is able to supply electricity to approximately 75,000 South African homes.

In Nanao, Japan, Total Solar and SunPower, in partnership with the ISE Group, constructed and commissioned a 27-MWc solar power plant in 2017 that supplies 8,900 homes. In an area with limited sunlight, SunPower solar panels maximize the electricity generated at the site: over an equal surface, they produce 45% more energy than conventional panels and are known for their long-term reliability and performance. Total Solar has also begun construction of a 25-MWc solar power plant in Miyako, Japan, which is expected to be commissioned in 2018. It will supply electricity to more than 8,000 homes.

Besides solar farms, Total also applies its expertise to developing decentralized photovoltaic systems, for installation on the roofs of industrial and commercial buildings or even on top of parking shelters. To this end, 5,000 of our service stations worldwide and 300 of our industrial sites will be equipped with solar panels over the next five years. The installed capacity will approach 200 MW, and CO2 emissions will be reduced by 100,000 metric tons per year.

In addition, our subsidiary SAFT provides energy storage solutions to meet all needs, from just a few kW to several MW. Its technology has acquired international renown through its production sites based throughout the world, particularly a lithium-ion battery plant that is among the most technologically advanced in the industry (Jacksonville, Florida). Energy storage is an indispensable ally when developing renewable energies, especially since it can smooth out the variability of these intermittent energy sources.

Promoting access to energy for all

Meeting electricity needs in areas where many homes have little or no access to the power grid is part of Total’s commitment. Since 2011, ten million people without reliable access to electricity have been able to benefit from a range of services and photovoltaic solar products thanks to the Total Access to Energy program.

Our offer of decentralized solar solutions is now available in 40 countries (in Africa, Asia and Latin America), and 89% of users have stated that their Total solar lamp has significantly improved their day-to-day lives3. Our ambition is to continue developing this program, with the aim of selling five million lamps in Africa by 2020, which would affect the lives of 25 million people on the continent.

1These areas of operation include downstream gas, renewable energies, energy storage, energy efficiency as well as the fuels themselves, and the development of CO2 capture, use and storage (CCUS) techniques.

2 SunPower: Total has been the major shareholder since 2011

Total Solar: 100%-owned subsidiary

SAFT: 100%-owned subsidiary

EREN RE: In September 2017, Total announced its intention to acquire an indirect interest of 23% in EREN RE, a developer and operator of wind and solar farms. Carrying out this transaction remains subject to prior approval from the relevant competition regulators.

3Adage - 1,500 people surveyed by telephone in three mature distributor countries (Cameroon, Nigeria and Kenya).